Exploring the effects of taurolidine on tumor weight and microvessel density in a murine model of osteosarcoma

Background:Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant primary bone tumor.The prognosis for patients with disseminated disease remains very poor despite recent advancements in chemotherapy.Moreover,current treatment regimens bear a significant risk of serious side effects.Thus,there is an unmet clinical need for effective therapies with improved safety profiles.Taurolidine is an antibacterial agent that has been shown to induce cell death in different types of cancer cell lines.Methods:In this study,we examined both the antineoplastic and antiangiogenic effects of taurolidine in animal models of osteosarcoma.K7M2 murine osteosarcoma cells were injected,both intramuscular and intraperitoneal,into 60 BALB/c mice on day zero.Animals were then randomized to receive treatment with taurolidine 2%(800 mg/kg),taurolidine 1%(400 mg/kg),or NaCl 0.9%control for seven days by intravenous or intraperitoneal administration.Results:After 35 days,mice were euthanized,and the tumors were harvested for analysis.Eighteen mice were excluded from the analysis due to complications.Body weight was significantly lower in the 2%taurolidine intraperitoneal treatment group from day 9 to 21,consistent with elevated mortality in this group.Intraperitoneal tumor weight was significantly lower in the 1%(p=0.003)and 2%(p=0.006)intraperitoneal taurolidine treatment groups compared to the control.No antineoplastic effects were observed on intramuscular tumors or for intravenous administration of taurolidine.There were no significant differences in microvessel density or mitotic rate between treatment groups.Reduced body weight and elevated mortality in the 2%taurolidine intraperitoneal group suggest that the lower 1%dose is preferable.Conclusions:In conclusion,there is no evidence of antiangiogenic activity,and the antitumor effects of taurolidine on osteosarcoma observed in this study are limited.Moreover,its toxic profile grants further evaluation.Given these observations,further research is necessary to refine the use of taurolidine in osteosarcoma treatment.

A novel pulmonary fibrosis murine model with immune-related liver injury

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF),characterized by aggravated alveolar destruc-tion and fibrotic matrix deposition,tendentiously experiences the stage called acute exacerbation IPF(AE-IPF)and progresses to multiple organ damage,especially liver injury.Recent studies have found a variety of immune microenvironment disorders associated with elevated IPF risk and secondary organ injury,whereas current animal models induced with bleomycin(BLM)could not completely reflect the pathologi-cal manifestations of AE-IPF patients in clinic,and the exact underlying mechanisms are not yet fully explored.In the current study,we established an AE-IPF model by tracheal administration of a single dose of BLM and then repeated administrations of lipopolysaccharide in mice.This mouse model successfully recapitulated the clinical features of AE-IPF,including excessive intrapulmonary inflammation and fibrosis and extrapulmonary manifestations,as indicated by significant upregulation of Il6,Tnfa,Il1b,Tgfb,fibronectin,and Col1a1 in both lungs and liver and elevated serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels.These effects might be attributed to the regulation of Th17 cells.By sharing this novel murine model,we expect to pro-vide an appropriate experimental platform to investigate the pathogenesis of AE-IPF coupled with liver injury and contribute to the discovery and development of targeted interventions.

N-acetylcysteine and glycyrrhizin combination:Benefit outcome in a murine model of acetaminophen-induced liver failure

BACKGROUND Acetaminophen overdose is the most frequent cause of drug-induced liver failure in developed countries.Substantial progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of hepatocellular injury,but N-acetylcysteine remains the only effective treatment despite its short therapeutic window.Thus,other hepatoprotective drugs are needed for the delayed treatment of acetaminopheninduced hepatotoxicity.Our interest focused on glycyrrhizin for its role as an inhibitor of high mobility group box 1(HMGB1)protein,a member of the family of damage-associated molecular pattern,known to play an important pathological role in various diseases.AIM To investigate the efficacy of the N-acetylcysteine/glycyrrhizin combination compared to N-acetylcysteine alone in the prevention of liver toxicity.METHODS Eight-week-old C57BL/6J wild-type female mice were used for all our experiments.Mice fasted for 15 h were treated with acetaminophen(500 mg/kg)or vehicle(phosphate-buffered saline)by intraperitoneal injection and separated into the following groups:Glycyrrhizin(200 mg/kg);N-acetylcysteine(150 mg/kg);and N-acetylcysteine/glycyrrhizin.In all groups,mice were sacrificed 12 h following acetaminophen administration.The assessment of hepatotoxicity was performed by measuring plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase.Hepatotoxicity was also evaluated by histological examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissues sections.Survival rates were compared between various groups using Kaplan-Meier curves.RESULTS Consistent with data published in the literature,we confirmed that intraperitoneal administration of acetaminophen(500 mg/kg)in mice induced severe liver injury as evidenced by increases in alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase but also by liver necrosis score.Glycyrrhizin administration was shown to reduce the release of HMGB1 and significantly decreased the severity of liver injury.Thus,the co-administration of glycyrrhizin and N-acetylcysteine was investigated.Administered concomitantly with acetaminophen,the combination significantly reduced the severity of liver injury.Delayed administration of the combination of drugs,2 h or 6 h after acetaminophen,also induced a significant decrease in hepatocyte necrosis compared to mice treated with N-acetylcysteine alone.In addition,administration of N-acetylcysteine/glycyrrhizin combination was associated with an improved survival rate compared to mice treated with only N-acetylcysteine.CONCLUSION We demonstrate that,compared to N-acetylcysteine alone,co-administration of glycyrrhizin decreases the liver necrosis score and improves survival in a murine model of acetaminophen-induced liver injury.Our study opens a potential new therapeutic pathway in the prevention of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.

A murine model for human immune thrombocytopenic purpura and comparative analysis of multiple gene expression in bone marrow and spleen

Homeostasis of platelet number in human and other mammals is well maintained for prevention of minor bleeding and for other im- munological functions, but the exact molecular mechanism responsible for immune thrombocytopenic purpura （ITP） has not been fully understood. In an effort to identify genetic factors involved in initiation of platelet production in response to bleeding injury or platelet destruction, we have successfully generated an animal model of human ITP via intraperitoneal injection of anti-platelet antibody into the Balb/c mouse. Platelet counts were dropped dramatically in animals that received antibody injection within 4 h, maintained at the mini- mum level for a period of 44 h, started to rebound after 48 h, and reached to the maximum at 144 h （6 days）. Final homeostasis reached at approximately 408 h （17 days）, following a minor cycle of platelet number fluctuation. Using semi-quantitative RT-PCR, we assessed and compared mRNA level of CD41, c-myb, c-mpl, caspase-3, caspase-9, GATA-1, and Bcl-xl in bone marrow and spleen. Alteration of mRNA expression was correlated with the change of platelet level, and an inverse relationship was found for expression of the genes be- tween bone marrow and spleen. No transcription was detectable for any of the seven genes in bone marrow at the time when platelet number reached the maximum （144 h）. In contrast, mRNA transcripts of the seven genes were found to be at the highest level in spleen tissue. This is the first study of simultaneous detection of multiple platelet related genes in a highly reproducible ITP animal model. Our results provided the supportive evidence that expression of the above seven genes are more related to negative regulation of platelet number in spleen tissue, at least in the model animals.

Contaminated open fracture and crush injury: a murine model

Modern warfare has caused a large number of severe extremity injuries, many of which become infected. In more recent conflicts, a pattern of co-infection with Acinetobacter baumannii and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has emerged. We attempted to recreate this pattern in an animal model to evaluate the role of vascularity in contaminated open fractures. Historically, it has been observed that infected bones frequently appear hypovascular, but vascularity in association with bone infection has not been examined in animal models. Adult rats underwent femur fracture and muscle crush injury followed by stabilization and bacterial contamination with A. baumannii complex and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.Vascularity and perfusion were assessed by micro CT angiography and SPECT scanning, respectively, at 1, 2 and 4 weeks after injury. Quantitative bacterial cultures were also obtained. Multi-bacterial infections were successfully created, with methicillin-resistant S. aureus predominating. There was overall increase in blood flow to injured limbs that was markedly greater in bacteria-inoculated limbs. Vessel volume was greater in the infected group. Quadriceps atrophy was seen in both groups, but was greater in the infected group. In this animal model, infected open fractures had greater perfusion and vascularity than non-infected limbs.

Blockade of γc Signals in Combination with Donor-specific Transfusion Induces Cardiac Allograft Acceptance in Murine Models

The γc cytokines play an important role in proliferation and survival of T cells. Blocking the γc signals can cause the activated donor-reactive T cells losing the ability to proliferate, and getting into apoptosis pathway, which contributes to induction of the peripheral tolerance. In this study, we induced the transplant tolerance through blocking the γc in combination with donor-specific transfusion (DST) in the cardiac transplantation. Following DST, on the day 2, 4 and 6, C57BL/6 recipients received anti-γc monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) injection, and those in control group were not given anti-γc mAbs. On the day 7, Balb/c cardiac allografts were transplanted. All recipients in experimental group accepted cardiac allografts over 30 days, and two of them accepted allografts without rejection until sacrifice on the 120 day. Animals only receiving DST rejected grafts within 5 days, and the mice receiving cardiac transplantation alone rejected grafts within 9 days. Our study showed that blockade of γc signaling combined with DST significantly prolonged allograft survival, which was probably associated with inhibition of antigen-specific T-cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis.

CD69 expression on airway eosinophils and airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma

Background Asthma is a chronic airway disease with inflammation characterized by physiological changes （airway hyper-responsiveness, AHR） and pathological changes （inflammatory cells infiltration and mucus production）. Eosinophils play a key role in the allergic inflammation. But the causative relationship between eosinophils and airway inflammation is hard to prove. One of the reasons is lack of activation marker of murine eosinophils. We investigated the expression of CD69 on murine eosinophils in vitro, the relationship between the expression of CD69 on eosinophils from peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and on airway inflammation in asthmatic mice. Methods Eosinophils from peripheral blood of IL-5 transgenic mice （NJ.1638） were purified. Mice were divided into five groups： wild type mice sensitized and challenged with saline （WS group）, wild type mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin （WO group）, IL-5^-/- mice sensitized and challenged with saline and transferred with purified eosinophils （ISE group）, IL-5^-/- mice sensitized and challenged with OVA and transferred with purified eosinophils （IOE group）, IL-5^-/- mice sensitized and challenged with OVA and transferred with purified eosinophils, pretreated with anti CD4 monoclonal antibody （IOE＋antiCD4mAb group）. IL-5^-/- mice were sensitized with OVA at day 0 and day 14, then challenged with OVA aerosol. On days 24, 25, 26 and 27 purified eosinophils were transferred intratracheally to IL-5^-/- mice. On day 28, blood and BALF were collected and CD69 expression on eosinophils measured by flowcytometry. Results Purified eosinophils did not express CD69. But eosinophils cultured with PMA＋MA, IFN- T, IL-5 or GM-CSF expressed CD69 strongly. Eosinophils from blood of WO, WS group did not express CD69 at all. The numbers of eosinophils in BALF of WO group, IOE group, ISE group and IOE＋antiCD4mAb group were significantly higher than in mice of WS group which did not have eosinophils at all. CD69 expression on eosinophils in BALF of IOE and WO groups was strong. Eosinophils in BALF of ISE and IOE＋antiCDmAb groups did not express CD69. The mucus production result was similar to CD69 expression. There were eosinophils infiltration in lung slides of all groups except WS group. Conclusion Activation in airway of eosinophils could directly lead to airway inflammation.

Gene and protein expression of proteinase-activated receptor-1, 2 in a murine model of acute graft vs host disease

Proteinase-activated receptors(PARs)are a novel subclass of seven transmembrane-spanning,G protein-coupled receptors.PAR-1 and PAR-2 are widely expressed in a variety of cells and are found to be involved in many physiological and pathological processes includ-ing inflammation and immune response.However,little is known about the function of PAR-1,2 in acute graft vs host disease(GVHD).In the present study,wefirst detected the expression of PAR-1,2 protein and mRNA in a murine model of acute GVHD using the methods of immunohis-tochemistry,Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR).Syngeneic hematopoie-tic stem cell transplantation(HSCT)mice served as controls.The relative gene expression level of PAR-1 was significantly increased in the skin,liver,small intestine of allogeneic HSCT mice(in skin:0.039�0.013 vs 0.008�0.002 of controls,P=0.009;in liver:0.165�0.006 vs 0.017�0.006 of controls,P=0.004;in small intestine:0.215�0.009 vs 0.016�0.002 of con-trols,P=0.003),but not in the stomach,lung and kidney of allogeneic HSCT mice(P>0.05).PAR-2 mRNA expression in the liver and small intestine of allogeneic HSCT mice(in liver:0.010�0.002 vs 0.003�0.001 of controls,P=0.008;in small intestine:0.006�0.001 vs 0.003�0.001 of controls,P=0.024)was increased significantly,but PAR-2 mRNA expression in the other organs(P>0.05)was not found to be significantly elevated.PAR-1,2 protein expression was in accordance with the mRNA expression,as shown by Western blot.Using immunohistochemistry the present study demon-strated that there was strong PAR-1,2 immunoreactivity in the epithelial cell and vascular endothelial cell of target organs of acute GVHD.Ourfindings of markedly increased expression of PAR-1,2 in target organs of acute GVHD suggest that PAR-1 and PAR-2 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute GVHD.

Intraperitoneally Administered Lidocaine Attenuates Thermal Allodynia in a Murine “Two-Hit” Chronic Constriction Injury Model

Background: Mechanical ventilation (hit one) during surgery (hit two) is often needed and both induce an inflammatory response. Dysregulation of the inflammatory response can cause chronic postoperative pain. Methods: Healthy C57BL6 mice (n = 56) were mechanically ventilated (MV) and allocated to receive sham (MV-sham) or mechanically ventilation with chronic constriction injury (MV-CCI) surgery in the left hind paw. Plasma interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, keratinocyte derived chemokine (KC) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were determined on day 0 and 16. Sensory testing was performed on day 0, 3, 7 and 16 by cold plate test (number of lifts (NOL) and cumulative reaction time (CRT)) and von Frey test. The effect of lidocaine on cytokines and sensory testing was analyzed. Results: MV-Sham showed an increase in IL-1β and TNF-α, and MV- CCI-lido increased levels of KC compared with MV on day 0. No difference in cytokine levels was observed on day 16. NOL of the left paw versus the right was increased in MV-CCI on day 7, and in MV-CCI-lido on day 7 and 16. The NOL of the left paw was decreased in MV-sham and MV-CCI-lido compared with MV-CCI on day 16. The CRT of the left paw was increased for MV-CCI on day 3 and 7, and for MV-CCI-lido on day 7. On day 16, MV-sham and MV-CCI-lido showed a decreased CRT of the left paw compared with MV-CCI. Conclusion: Nerve injury and not systemic inflammatory response seems mandatory for development of neuropathic pain in this “two-hit” model. Lidocaine attenuates cold allodynia in mice.

HMGB 1 contributes to allergen-induced airway remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma by modulating airway inflammation and activating lung fibroblasts

The pro-inflammation factor high-mobility group box protein 1 （HMGB1） has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. In this study, we used a murine model of chronic asthma to evaluate the effects of HMGB 1 on airway remodeling. Female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups： control, ovalbumin （OVA） asthmatic, OVA＋ isotype antibody and OVA＋anti-HMGB 1 antibody. Anti-HMGB 1 antibody therapy was started on day 21 and was administered three times per week for 6 weeks before intranasal challenge with OVA. In this mouse model, HMGB1 expression is significantly elevated. The anti-HMGB1 antibody group exhibited decreased levels of immunoglobulin E （IgE） and inflammatory mediators and reduced inflammatory cell accumulation, airway hyperresponsiveness （AHR）, mucus synthesis, smooth muscle thickness and lung collagen content compared with the OVA groups. Treatment with HMGB1 increased proliferation, migration, collagen secretion and a-smooth muscle actin （SMA） expression in MRC-5 ceils. Treatment with the HMGB1/IL-1β complex significantly increased the expression and secretion of transforming growth factor （TGF-βl）, matrix metalloproteinase （MMP）-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）. Altogether, these results suggest that blocking HMGB1 activity may reverse airway remodeling by suppressing airway inflammation and modulating lung fibroblast phenotype and activation.

Local Expression of Vaginal Th1 and Th2 Cytokines in Murine Vaginal Candidiasis under Different Immunity Conditions

To investigate the expression of vaginal Th1 and Th2 cytokines in rats with experimental vaginal candidiasis under different immune conditions, ICR murine vaginal candidiasis model was established and immno-suppressed murine models of vaginal cadidiasis were established in estrogen-treated mice. Non-estrogen-treated mice were used as controls. The mRNA level of Th1 （IL-2）/Th2 （IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β1） cytokines in murine vaginal tissues was determined by RT-PCR. The cykotine in local tissues was increased to different extent under normal immune condition. IL-2 mRNA was increased during early stage of infection, while IL-10 was increased transiently during late stage of infection. TGF-β1 production was found to be increased persistently. At same time, the expression of IL-2 mRNA was suppressed in immno-suppressed group, and the level of IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-β1 were higher than the normal immunity group to different degree during infection. The high level of IL-2 mRNA during early stage of infection was associated with clearance of mucosal Candidia albicans （C. albicans）, and its expression suppressed leading to decreased clearance of mucosal C. albican in immuno-suppression. The over-expression of IL-4 and IL-10 could significantly enhance the susceptibility to C. albicans infection in mice.

Increased expression and possible role of chitinase 3-like-1 in a colitis-associated carcinoma model

AIM: To investigate the possible role of chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) in the progression of colitis-associated carcinoma (CAC).

Comparison of the Effects of Three Different Anti-fungus Drugs on Candida Albicans of Murine Vaginal Mucosa

To compare the therapeutic effects of three different anti-fungal drugs （i.e., terbinafine, fluconazole and intraconazole） in the treatment of experimental vaginitis caused by Candida albicans （C. albicans） in mice, the fungal vaginitis model was established in female ICR mice by intravaginal inoculation of suspension of C. albicans after the animal had been pretreated with estradiol. Mice were divided at random into different groups and then respectively treated with terbinafine, fluconazole and intraconazole given by gastrogavage. The burden of the fungus in the vaginal lavage fluids in the mice of the different groups was measured dynamically at different time points after the beginning of the drug treatment. The fungal burdens in the vaginal lavage fluids taken at different time points from the mice treated with terbinafine were significantly higher than those taken at corresponding time points from mice treated with fluconazole or itraconazole （P〈0.01）. The fungal burdens in the vaginal lavage fluids taken from mice 1 week after the beginning of the treatment with terbinafine remained at a relatively high level. A dramatic drop in the fungal burden was noted in the vaginal lavage fluids taken on the 2nd day of the treatment from mice treated with itraconazole or fluconazole group and the fungal burden on the 3rd day of the treatment in these mice were at a very low level, suggesting that fluconazole or itraconazole were highly effective for the treatment. However, the difference in the therapeutic effect between the two drugs was not significant （P〉0.05）. Itraconazole or fluconazole, but not terbinafine, is very effective for the treatment of fungal vaginitis caused by C. albicans in mice.

Local Th1/Th2 Cytokine Expression in Experimental Murine Vaginal Candidiasis

In order to investigate the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the vaginal candidiasis caused by Candida, the fungal vaginitis model was established in female ICR mice by intravaginal inoculation of suspension of C. albicans after the animals were pretreated with estradiol. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was used to detect the expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β1 in the vagina in the mice of different groups at different time points after the beginning of the experiment. The average expression level of IL-2 mRNA in group D （estrogen-treated mice） was significantly higher than that in groups H （estrogen-untreated mice） and I （control group） on the day 2. The average expression level of IL-4 mRNA in group D was significantly higher than that in groups I and H on the day 5. The average expression level of IL-10 mRNA in group D was significantly higher than that in groups H and I from day 7 to 11. The average expression level of TGF-β1 mRNA in group D was significantly higher than that in groups H and I at all time points. It was concludes that the high-level expression of IL-2 mRNA during early infection was associated with clearance of mucosal C. albicans, and the high-level expression of IL-10 mRNA during late stage of the infection was related to susceptibility to infection. TGF-β1 may play a predominant role when the virtual absence of changes in other Th-type cytokines during infection.

Growth hormone releasing peptide 2 reverses anorexia associated with chemotherapy with 5-fluoruracil in colon cancer cell-bearing mice

The cancer-associated anorexia-cachexia syndrome is observed in 80% of patients with advanced-stage cancer, and is one of the major obstacles in chemo- therapy. Ghrelin is a orexigenic hormone that has been proposed to prevent anorexia. Aim of the study was to determine whether the addition of the ghrelin agonist growth hormone releasing peptide 2 (GHRP-2) to cytotoxic therapy with 5-fluoruracil (5-FU) prevents the anorexia associated with chemotherapy in cancer cachectic mice. Thirty-three BALB/c female tumourbearing mice were randomized to receive a solution containing: (a) placebo; (b) GHRP-2; (c) 5-FU; or (d) 5-FU + GHRP-2. Ten BALB/c no tumour-bearing mice received placebo solution. Food intake and survival were checked. Six hours after the drug injection the cumulative food intake was signifi cantly increased in mice treated with the combination of 5-FU + GHRP-2 versus the 5-FU alone (P = 0.0096). On day 3, the cumulative food intake of mice treated with GHRP-2,5-FU and 5-FU + GHRP-2 signifi cantly increased com- pared with naive and vehicle groups (P = 0.0007, P = 0.0038 and P = 0.0166, respectively). The median survival time was longer in 5-FU + GHRP-2 treated mice than in those with 5-FU, although it was not signifi cant (18 d versus 15.5 d, P = 0.7). For the fi rst time, we demonstrated that the addition of GHRP-2 to cytotoxic therapy with 5-FU improved appetite in tumour-bearing mice with anorexia/cachexia syndrome in early stage. These data suggest that GHRP-2 may improve the effi cacy of therapy and the quality of life of cancer patients thank to the amelioration of their nutritional state.

Interleukin-34 deficiency aggravates development of colitis and colitis-associated cancer in mice

BACKGROUND Although expression of interleukin(IL)-34 is upregulated in active ulcerative colitis(UC),the molecular function and underlying mechanism are largely unclear.AIM To investigate the function of IL-34 in acute colitis,in a wound healing model and in colitis-associated cancer in IL-34-deficient mice.METHODS Colitis was induced by administration of dextran sodium sulfate(DSS),and carcinogenesis was induced by azoxymethane(AOM).Whether the impact of IL-34 on colitis was dependent on macrophages was validated by depletion of macrophages in a murine model.The association between IL-34 expression and epithelial proliferation was studied in patients with active UC.RESULTS IL-34 deficiency aggravated murine colitis in acute colitis and in wound healing phase.The effect of IL-34 on experimental colitis was not dependent on macrophage differentiation and polarization.IL-34-deficient mice developed more tumors than wild-type mice following administration of AOM and DSS.No significant difference was shown in degree of cellular differentiation in tumors between wild-type and IL-34-deficient mice.IL-34 was dramatically increased in the active UC patients as previously reported.More importantly,expression of IL-34 was positively correlated with epithelial cell proliferation in patients with UC.CONCLUSION IL-34 deficiency exacerbates colonic inflammation and accelerates colitis-associated carcinogenesis in mice.It might be served as a potential therapeutic target in UC.

The Effect of Itraconazole on the Vaginal Candidiasis under Different Immunity Conditions in Mice

To study the effect of itraconazole on the vaginal candidiasis caused by Candida under different immunity conditions, the fungal vaginitis model was established in female ICR mice by intravaginal inoculation of suspension of C. albicans after the animal had been pretreated with estradiol or dexamethasone. Mice were divided at random into different groups and then treated with itraconazole or IFN-y given by gastrogavage. The burden of the fungus in the vaginal lavage fluids in the mice of the different groups was measured dynamically at different time points after the beginning of the drug treatment. The difference in the effect of itraconazole on the vaginal candidiasis between normal immune system group （group A） and control group （group D） was statistically significant （P〈0.01）. The difference in the efficacy of itraconazole among immunosuppressed group （group E）, immuno-regulated group （group F） and the control group （group G） was statistically significant （P〈0.01）. But on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th day after the inoculation the average level of colony forming unit （CFU） of groups A, E and F showed no statistically significant difference （P〉0.05）. It is concluded that the efficacy of itraconazole in the treatment of the vaginal candidiasis under different immunity conditions （groups A, E and F） in mice were all good, but there was no difference in the anti-fungal effect of itraconazole among the three groups.

Establishment of Murine Infection Models with Biological Clones of Dengue Viruses Derived from a Single Clinical Viral Isolate

Dengue virus(DENV)is a single-stranded RNA virus transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions.It causes dengue fever,dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome in patients.Each year,390 million people are estimated to be infected by four serotypes of dengue virus,creating a great burden on global public health and local economy.So far,no antiviral drug is available for dengue disease,and the newly licensed vaccine is far from satisfactory.One large obstacle for dengue vaccine and drug development is the lack of suitable small animal models.Although some DENV infection models have been developed,only a small number of viral strains can infect immunodeficient mice.In this study,with biologically cloned viruses from a single clinical isolate,we have established two mouse models of DENV infection,one is severe lethal infection in immunocompromised mice,and the other resembles self-limited disease manifestations in Balb/c mice with transient blockage of type I IFN responses.This study not only offers new small animal models of dengue viral infection,but also provides new viral variants for further investigations on dengue viral pathogenesis.

Treatment with Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 Is Not Effective as Therapy in Mice with an Established Allergy Status

In allergies, an unbalanced immune response towards a T helper (Th) 2 profile with high levels of Immunoglobulin (Ig) E is produced. We have demonstrated that the pre-administration of Enterococcus faecalis CECT7121 prevents the development of allergy in ovalbumin-immunized mice. In this work, we evaluated whether this bacterium can also revert an established allergic status. Mice were immunized with ovalbumin (OVA) and after that, were inoculated with an E. faecalis CECT7121 suspension. In immunized animals, serum specific immune response, proliferative activity of memory splenocytes, and levels of Th2 cytokines were assessed. The in vivo active cutaneous anaphylaxis test was also performed. The treatment with E. faecalis CECT7121 only increased anti-OVA IgG2a levels. No differences were observed in other specific immunological parameters. Probiotic-treatment did not prove to have any desensitizing effect on mice. These results, together with those recently published, can be concluded that this bacterium would not be appropriate for the treatment of allergic symptoms.

Establishing a Th17 based mouse model for preclinical assessment of the toxicity of candidate microbicides

Background To effectively block the invasion of human immunodeficiency virus （HIV）-1 on mucosal surface, vaginal anti-HIV-1 microbicides should avoid inflammatory responses and disruption of mucosa integrity because these will facilitate transepithelial viral penetration and replication. However, existing models fail to predict and evaluate vaginal mucosal toxicity induced by microbicides, and most importantly, they are unable to identify subtle or subclinical inflammatory reactions. This study was designed to develop a cost-effective in vivo model to evaluate microbicide safety in a preclinical study which can recapitulate the mucosal topical reaction.Methods A murine model was employed with nonoxynol-9 （N-9） as the topical stimulant within the vagina. Different concentrations of N-9 （1%, 3%, and 4%） were topically applied to the vagina for five consecutive days. A panel of inflammatory cytokines including interleukine-2 （IL-2）, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17A, interferon-Y （IFN-Y）, tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）, and immuno-regulatory IL-10 were assayed in vaginal lavage. Cytokines were quantified by using cytometric bead array （CBA） and reverse transcript （RT） real-time PCR. Histopathological evaluation of vaginal tissues was conducted on hematoxylin-eosin stained slides and scored with a semi-quantitative system according to the severity of epithelial disruption, leucocyte infiltration, edema, and vascular injection. The association between the cytokines and histopathological scores was assessed by linear regression analysis.Results All three concentrations of N-9 induced inflammatory cytokine production. The 4% N-9 application resulted in a consistent production of cytokines in a time-dependent manner. The cytokines reached peak expression on day three with the exception of IL-4 which reached its peak on day one. Histopathological examination of 4% N-9 treated cervicovaginal tissues on day three showed intensive damage in four mice （sores： 10-13） and moderate damage in one mouse （score： 8）, which were significantly associated with both inflammatory cytokines IL-17A and IL-6 and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10. Interestingly, IL-17A showed significant positive association with inflammatory cytokine TNF-α （r=0.739; P ＜0.05）, anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 （r=0.804; P ＜0.01） and IL-4 （r=0.668; P ＜0.05）.Conclusions Our data demonstrate that a panel of cytokines （IL-17A, IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10） could be used as surrogate biomarkers to predict the histopathological damage. Th17 may play a central role in orchestrating inflammatory cytokine responses. This Th17 based mouse model is cost-effective and suitable to assess the toxicity of candidate microbicides in preclinical studies.